INDOT: I-69 winterizing

INDIANAPOLIS (INDOT) - Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) contractors plan to temporarily restrict one lane of the northbound I-69 collector-distributor between 116th Street and State Road 37 for paving operations Thursday morning.

Crews will begin at 7 a.m. to pave asphalt along the left lane of the northbound collector-distributor.  Traffic will be shifted to the right, and motorists entering the collector-distributor from the 116th Street loop ramp will need to yield to traffic exiting northbound I-69 to State Road 37.  Mainline I-69 traffic will not be affected.

Additional message boards and signage will be in place to alert motorists of the temporary configuration.  INDOT expects the work to be complete and the lane restriction to be lifted at approximately 1 p.m.

To ensure that construction activities do not interfere with INDOT snow and ice removal operations and the safety of motorists during winter weather, contractors are working to pave asphalt, remove as much temporary barrier wall as possible, and place traffic in a satisfactory configuration for winter.

Motorists should expect various lane restrictions in the upcoming days as work is completed to transition the work zone.  All lane restrictions are expected to take place during non-peak traffic hours.

Milestone Contractors, the state’s contractor for the $18 million interchange improvement project, plans to continue working on the new two-lane flyover ramp to State Road 37 as long as weather allows.  Construction on the northbound side of the interchange started in April.  Originally expected to open before the end of 2012, Milestone estimates all work on the northbound side of the interchange to be complete in the spring.

Milestone plans to continue improvements to the southbound side of the interchange in the spring.  No southbound traffic restrictions will be in place until work is complete on the northbound side.  INDOT expects all work at the interchange to be complete before the end of next year.

For details about the Operation Indy Commute – I-69 project and to sign up for project updates, visit indycommute.indot.in.gov .  For project updates, photos and more, go to Indiana Department of Transportation:  East Central on Facebook and like our page or follow @INDOT_ECentral on Twitter .